Present embodiments relate generally to the field of drilling and processing of wells, and, more particularly, to a drill pipe system and method for guiding a drill pipe into a wellbore.
In conventional oil and gas operations, a drilling rig is used to drill a wellbore to a desired depth using a drill string, which includes drillpipe, drill collars and a bottom hole drilling assembly. During drilling, the drill string may be turned by a rotary table and kelly assembly or by a top drive to facilitate the act of drilling. As the drill string progresses down hole, additional drillpipe is added to the drill string.
During drilling of the well, the drilling rig may be used to insert joints or stands (e.g., multiple coupled joints) of drillpipe into the wellbore (e.g., a surface wellbore or a subsea wellbore). Similarly, the drilling rig may be used to remove drillpipe from the wellbore. As an example, during insertion of drillpipe into the wellbore by a traditional operation, each drillpipe element (e.g., each joint or stand) is coupled to an attachment feature that is in turn lifted by a traveling block of the drilling rig such that the drillpipe element is positioned over the wellbore or over a subsea wellhead beneath an offshore drilling rig or ship. An initial drillpipe element may be positioned in the wellbore or sea and held in place by gripping devices near the rig floor, such as slips. Subsequent drillpipe elements may then be coupled to the existing drillpipe elements in the wellbore or sea to continue formation of the drill string. Once attached, the drillpipe element and remaining drill string may be held in place by an elevator and released from the gripping devices (e.g., slips) such that the drill string can be lowered into the wellbore or towards subsea equipment at the sea floor. As the drill string is lowered into the wellbore or sea, umbilical cables or lines may be positioned adjacent to the drill string and clamped to the drill string. The umbilical cables or lines supply various supplies, such as air pressure, electrical power, hydraulic power, fiber optics, or other supplies to components within the wellbore and/or subsea components.